He always did all this without the help of a record company, but in early 2010 he signed a contract with EMI Group. This contract resulted in the recording of his debut album Dream Parade in Los Angeles. The first single from this album is the song This Town. With this, 3FM immediately chose him as 3FM Serious Talent. Giel Beelen called him the greatest talent of 2011 on March 10, 2011 during the broadcast of De Wereld Draait Door. His first single This Town was named 3FM Megahit on March 27 and Dotan was a guest at Giel Beelen and De Wereld Draait Door.
His debut album Dream Parade was released on May 20 and was immediately named by CD of the week on 3FM and 3voor12. Dotan received positive reactions for his album in magazines such as OOR, Elsevier, Metro and de Volkskrant. His second single Where we belong was linked to Amnesty International's international campaign, which is why he flew to Nigeria to perform for the slums of Port Harcourt. The accompanying clip grew into a YouTube hit with more than 200,000 views.
In the summer of 2011, Dotan appeared at various festivals and was a guest on the larger radio and television programs. Then Dotan started his "Dream Parade Tour" through the big clubs of the Netherlands. Dotan's debut album will also be released in several other countries, of which Israel is the first.
Dotan's unique voice is often compared to Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody.
Dotan reached a milestone by being the first artist in history to remain on the number 1 spot in the Serious Talent charts for more than 5 months. With this he leaves artists such as Caro Emerald, Go Back To The Zoo and Krystl behind. This chart is based on the popularity on the social media of the artists. A nomination for the Serious Talent Award 2011 followed, but during the presentation at Paaspop 2012 it was announced that he did not win this prize.
Dotan went on tour with Gavin Degraw in February, with whom he played in sold-out venues such as the Melkweg and Oosterpoort. Two months later on April 17, 2012, he provided the opening act for Sinéad O'Connor in the main hall of the Paradiso.
In April 2018, after several months of research, Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant revealed that Dotan had enlisted the aid of at least 140 troll accounts to boost his online reputation and following. These accounts disparaged other musicians and made up feel-good stories about chance encounters with fans. de Volkskrant also revealed that Dotan's management had repeatedly tried to alter Dotan's Dutch Wikipedia page. The singer later confirmed the existence of these accounts, apologised, and terminated all his social media activities.
Where We Belong
Dotan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are you ready for what's coming now
I've been hanging on to the secret
Where do we go for here
Is this road unclear
All this time, you were next to me
This perfect lie, which only you can't see
Open my eyes to where we belong
Bigger crime, to pretend
There's only one way to where we belong
It's time to become a addiction
But how are you supposed to know
Your image is right there before me
Even tough I'm all alone up here
Is this road unclear
All this time, you were next to me
This perfect lie, which only you can't see
Open my eyes to where we belong
We can justify now, where we standing
Bigger crime, to pretend
There's only one way to where we belong
This is where we are
We just can't hide
Nothing but the truth
Are you ready for the right
Are you ready for the right
All this time, you were next to me
This perfect lie, which only you can't see
Open my eyes to where we belong
We can justify now, where we standing
Bigger crime, to pretend
There's only one way to where we belong
All this time, you were next to me
This perfect lie, which only you can't see
Open my eyes to where we belong
We can justify now, where we standing
Bigger crime, to pretend
There's only one way to where we belong
Where we belong
Where we belong
Where we belong
The lyrics of Dotan's song "Where We Belong" describe a sense of uncertainty about the future, and a desire for clarity about where one's path will lead. The singer has been keeping a secret, and is unsure if the road ahead is clear. They have been living a "perfect lie" that only one person cannot see, perhaps indicating a lack of honesty and authenticity in a particular relationship. However, the singer is also hopeful that they will eventually find a sense of belonging, and that this will require acknowledging the truth rather than pretending.
The chorus's repeated emphasis on "where we belong" emphasizes the importance of finding a place or purpose, which may involve breaking away from the status quo or following a more challenging path. The song acknowledges that this journey may be difficult, but ultimately necessary. The bridge section states "This is where we are/ We just can't hide/Nothing but the truth," suggesting a sort of reckoning with oneself and one's circumstances.
Overall, "Where We Belong" is a song about navigating uncertainty and the search for purpose and belonging. It encourages the listener to be honest with themselves and others, and to pursue a path that feels authentic and true.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to what I gotta tell you
Pay attention to what I have to say
Are you ready for what's coming now
Are you prepared for what's about to happen?
I've been hanging on to the secret
I've been keeping a secret to myself
Where do we go for here
What direction should we take now?
Is this road unclear
Are we unsure about our path?
All this time, you were next to me
You've been with me all along
This perfect lie, which only you can't see
You're the only one who doesn't see the deception
Open my eyes to where we belong
Help me see where we truly fit in
We can justify now, where we standing
We can explain where we are and why
Bigger crime, to pretend
It's worse to pretend than to be honest
There's only one way to where we belong
There's only one path to where we truly fit in
It's time to become a addiction
It's time to become addicted
But how are you supposed to know
How are you supposed to understand?
Your image is right there before me
I can see your true self
Even tough I'm all alone up here
Although I feel isolated
This is where we are
This is our current situation
We just can't hide
We can't conceal the truth
Nothing but the truth
Only the truth matters
Are you ready for the right
Are you prepared to do what's right?
Where we belong
Our true place in life
Writer(s): Dotan Harpenau Copyright: E.A.T.D. Publishing
Contributed by Carter K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Karen Tizianoka
MMM Listen to what I gotta tell you, I'm ready for what's coming now...I've been hanging on to this secret..Oh! Where do we go from here? Is this road unclear? ..............Well I'm ready for the ride! All this time I've been next to you, OPen My eyes, take me to where we belong!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D <3 <3 <3
Marianne Gerhard
Ben er niet kapot van (vind er eigenlijk niks aan)